1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of and system for storing plural microfilm cartridges in a storage rack and for selectively retrieving a desired microfilm cartridge from the storage rack to deliver the selected microfilm cartridge to an image reader or another type image processing device.
2. Prior Art Statement
It is known in the art to store plural microfilm cartridges in a storage rack having one open face extending two-dimensionally, the storage rack being combined with a carrier which is movable in two-dimensional directions while facing to said one open face of the storage rack. A desired microfilm cartridge is taken out of the storage rack and then delivered to an image reader by the aforementioned carrier. In the known system of this type, the image reader is arranged in the space in front of said one open face of the storage rack, i.e. at the same side in which the carrier is disposed.
However, this known system has a disadvantage that the image reader impedes the inspection and maintenance operations of the carrier to make it hard to inspect and adjust the carrier. Furthermore, when it is desired to store microfilm cartridges in the rack or the stored microfilm cartridges are to be exchanged with other microfilm cartridges, the image reader must be moved aside from the position in front of the storage rack. The operation efficiency in storing or exchanging the microfilm cartridges is thus lowered.
In general, easy access to the image reader not only from the front side on which the display screen is positioned but only from the backside becomes necessary for various inspection and maintenance operations. However, since the storage rack is positioned close to the backside of the image reader in the known system, access to the backside of the image reader becomes difficult to cause problems.
In order to obviate the aforementioned disadvantage, the image reader would be arranged at a position remote from the storage rack. However, such an arrangement poses another problem that the passage for delivering the selected microfilm cartridge becomes prolonged and complicated to lower the reliability in microfilm cartridge delivery operation.
The selected microfilm cartridge taken out of the storage rack is turned to a posture or orientation suited for loading thereof into the image reader. For this purpose, an additional spacing must be left outside of the storage rack to lead to a result that the dimensions of the entire system become larger.
Another disadvantage of the known system is that the size of the carrier tends to be larger and the weight thereof tends to be increased, leading to reduction in moving speed and increase in inertia to require the provision of a large scale driving mechanism, since the microfilm cartridge is turned by the carrier.